Clearing Of Forests Slows

U.S. & LATIN AMERICA - Latin America & Caribbean - In Brief

June 12, 2002

SAO PAULO, Brazil -- Deforestation levels in Brazil's Amazon rain forest are declining, according to official projections published Tuesday. Figures released by the Environmental Affairs Ministry show that from December 2000 to December 2001 more than 6,000 square miles of rain forest were cut down by logging companies and farmers clearing land. The deforested area was 13 percent smaller than the area deforested during the previous 12-month period.